A book review of Unread: A Memoir of Learning (and Loving) to Read on TikTok by Oliver James
Stars: *****
Union Square & Co (2026)
242 pages
Memoir
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Summary: As a result of childhood learning disabilities and educational neglect, Oliver James graduated from high school and became one of approximately 45 million functionally illiterate Americans. However, at age 32, with big dreams and few tools to actualize them, he dedicated himself to learning the key skill that had evaded him his entire life: reading.
Oliver has become a TikTok/BookTok sensation for the way he’s candidly documented his decision to learn to read as an adult, and his struggles and triumphs along the way. Here, he tells the full story behind his journey for the first time through the 21 key books that shaped and informed his experience. His story reveals the ways in which reading can teach each of us how to be better, more empathetic people.
In just 365 days, Oliver went from barely being able to read a restaurant menu to closing in on his goal of finishing 100 books in a year. Unread is a moving reminder to all of us that words and stories have power, and that, no matter our past, it’s never too late to grow.
Unread
I grabbed this from the library because it sounded interesting. It’s the story of a boy (and then man) who wasn’t able to read and hid it because he was embarrassed.
Oliver James teaches us that when someone is illiterate it’s not just about not being able to read a book but means they can’t read street signs, fill out forms or even navigate the streets. There is so much that requires reading that as a regular reader, I hadn’t thought of.
Reading this book opens your eyes so much to the plight of the illiterate. Also I always thought being illiterate was very rare but apparently it’s not. We really need to do something about this. I homeschool but I understand this doesn’t work for everyone. We need to improve the school systems and find ways to find those who are unable to read and get them the right supports.
The book isn’t just about learning to read but also the community you can find on social media. On TikTok people rally around Oliver. They cheer him on, they suggest books and they discuss the books he reads. There are lots of trolls on social media but if you can ignore them, there are also lots of good people on there.
Buy Unread on Amazon.com